Clean water for climate and biodiversity

In many parts of the world biomass is the main source of domestic energy, with both charcoal and firewood being used for cooking food and boiling drinking water. The dependence on biomass for providing potable water places a heavy financial burden on households and a health risk if boiling is insufficient. Biosand water filters are a low cost, simple technology that provide potable water without the need for boiling. They reduce the risks of water borne disease and related health intervention costs, and costs of fuel for boiling water. Significantly though, they also have co-benefits for climate and biodiversity because of the foregone use of biomass fuel. We present insights from our work to encourage the uptake of BSFs by households in Uganda, considering the socio-economic context of beneficiaries, the critical gender questions around this intervention, and the climate and biodiversity benefits that can be accrued through this technology.